Le Stade
The Stade Chaban-Delmas, or the Parc Lescure, as it used to be known, has evolved from a Parc des Sports next to a vineyard, into a stadium worthy of staging World Cup finals matches in 1998. Like many French football grounds, it used to house cycling and running tracks, yet it was never used for football before 1983, when Les Girondins moved in. Three years later, Bordeaux’s famous president, Claude Bez, revamped the stadium, removing the cycling and running track, thus doubling the capacity. When the 1998 World Cup came to France, the Lescure was improved to the tune of £5m, but it was not without its critics – the moderations meant that all the terracing was replaced with seats – an unpopular move with the supporters. Today, the stadium seats 36,500, and was renamed in 2001 after a local mayor and Bordeaux fan who died in 1998.

Getting there
BA fly twice a day direct from Gatwick to Mérignac, and is the only airline to fly there direct. Otherwise, you can change in Paris, or stop over in Paris and get the train to Bordeaux – about 16 TGVs leave each day from the Gare Montparnasse, with journey time around three hours.

From the airport, the Jet’Bus leaves every 30 minutes to the city centre, and takes around 45 minutes, costing €5.65.

Bus tickets in the town are valid for 30 minutes from the start of the journey – to get to the ground, take the number 9 bus from Saint Jean to Stade Municipal, or from Barrière d’Ornano, take either the 12 or 93, alighting at Pey Berland.

Tickets
By calling +33 (0)8 92 68 34 33, you can pre-book tickets to pick up on matchday.

Tickets range from €8 to €63, depending on the stand you choose, and the opposition (prices are raised for when the better teams come to town). Tickets can also be bought through the Francebillet (Carrefour, Géant, FNAC and Surcouf) and Ticketnet networks (Auchan, E. Leclerc, Virgin and Cultura), as well as on the official Bordeaux website, www.girondins.com.

If buying tickets from the club shop, you need to purchase them before 12:00pm on the matchday. However, matches rarely sell out, and tickets can usually be bought on the gate.

Out and About
One of the most attractive features of Bordeaux is its architecture – the Esplanade des Quinconces is a classic example. Also try and have a look at the Grand Théâtre on Place de la Comédie, the Place Gambetta, and the Place de la Bourse.

Bordeaux has a large amount of museums, which are all free on the first Sunday of each month. The most popular are the Musée des Douanes, concentrating on the city’s maritime past, the porcelain, silverwork and glasswork of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts with pieces by Matisse and Titian, along with the famous Monument des Girondins.

However, a visit to Bordeaux isn’t complete without sampling the wine that made the city famous, and there are many opportunities to do this; either contact a local chateaux where you can look round, sampling the local produce (though many are often shut during the vendage – the harvest), go and stay in the heart of the area, or take advantage of the five-hour bus tours to wine chateaux that the tourist office run in English and French on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 1:30pm for around €26.

Restaurants and nightlife
Bordeaux has many large open squares, and these are often lined with small terrace cafés. We recommend some of the following, but from a town famous for its gastronomy, it’d be hard to go wrong! The most popular areas with students are in the south of the city, especially around the Place de la Victoire. As ever, the cheapest way of eating out in France is to go for the menu – a set menu, usually with quite a wide choice.

For a cheap, cheerful and plentiful meal, try Chez Edouard on the place du Parlement. 16 place du Parlement; +33 (0)5 56 81 48 87

The Place Camille-Jullian has many restaurants and terrace cafés, though one of the best is Claret’s, offering local specialities. Expect to pay around €20 for a dinner set-menu. 46 rue pas-St-Georges; +33 (0)5 56 01 21 21

One of the best restaurants, not only in quality of food, but also for the décor and ambiance, is the Restaurant Jean Ramet. Serving traditional national and local dishes, expect to pay around €50 for a dinner set-menu. 7 place Jean Jaurès; +33 (0)5 56 44 12 51

If you’re looking for a pre-match pint, then try Le Rond de Point, on the corner of avenue du Parc de Lescure and boulevard Marechal Leclerc. This sport-themed café, close to the stadium, is packed before and after matches.

Similarly, try the Bar des Sports, five minutes from the ground on the corner of Rue Léo Saignat and Boulevard Leclerc. Along with your lager, you can get couscous and paella.

When out in the evening, the best bet is to follow the students, and they usually congregate around the Place de la Victoire, the cours de la Somme and the rue de Candale.

World Cup star and former Bordeaux player Christophe Dugarry owns Nulle Part Ailleurs bar behind Quinconces, and is a favourite haunt of many football fans. 19 Cours du Maréchal Foch.

A good bar to watch football in is Le Jean Bart, which is even decorated in the club colours. It is usually only open until 9pm, though, apart from when Les Girondins are playing. Avenue de la République.

The Lollapalooza is a large club, which, unlike many clubs in Paris, has free entry, though is quite far away from the town centre – take a #1 bus from the town centre. 48 Quai de Paludate.

Accommodation
The LFAJ (Ligue Francais pour les Auberges de la Jeunesse) youth hostel is found off the Cours de la Marne – alight the bus at Saint Jean, and it is the second turning on the left. Expect to pay €18 per night, with breakfast included. 22, cours Barbey; +33 (0)5 56 33 00 70

For any other accommodation, the area around the main station is best avoided, as it is quite a seedy area where hotels tend to be over-priced, and quite run down.

The Hôtel Royal Médoc is a spacious, comfortable three-star hotel, with rooms around €40. 3 rue de Sèze; +33 (0)5 56 81 72 42

It is advisable to book ahead at the Maison Bord’Eaux; a small, four-starred hotel with only 6 rooms. Expect to pay between €148 and €153 per night. 113 rue du Dr Albert Barraud; +33 (0)1 55 33 16 55

Did you know?
Bordeaux’s Esplanade des Quinconces, in the north of the city, is Europe’s biggest municipal square.